Pediatric head and neck burns increased during early COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe patterns of burns to the head and neck in children during the early COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional study reviewed pediatric patients in the Burn Care Quality Platform Registry. Patients were included if they were ≤17.9 years old and had sustained burns to the head and neck. Patients were separated into the following groups: March 13 to September 13, 2019 (before COVID-19 pandemic, BC) or March 13 to September 13, 2020 (during the initial 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, C19). The study team collected patient-related variables, details regarding burn injury, burn severity, and hospital course. Univariate and bivariate analyses were calculated. The chi-squared test was used for categorical variables. Statistical significance was P < .05. RESULTS: Fifty-five children with head and neck burn injuries were included. There was a 200% increase in burns to the head and neck region in children in April 2021 compared with previous year. Burns to head and neck in White children occurred more often during C19 (P = .03). The study revealed differences in timing of presentation (time of burn injury to emergency department admission) in different racial groups during (White children [P = .05]), and after the pandemic (African American children [P = .02]). CONCLUSIONS: There was a transient increase in burns to the head and neck region in children during the early pandemic compared with the historic cohort.

Frequency of Firearm Injuries to Head and Neck Increased During Covid-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: During coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, hospitals faced challenges which were different than previous years. The purpose this study was to report frequency of firearm injuries (FI) to head and neck during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study reviewed patients in the Trauma Registry at Grady Memorial Hospital (GMH) in Atlanta, GA. Patients were included if they sustained FI to head and neck, were listed in TR, and were treated at GMH. Patients were stratified according to date of injury into 1) before COVID-19 pandemic, (BC19) or 2) during initial 5 months of COVID-19 pandemic, (C19). Variables were patient demographics, illegal substance use, etiology, place of injury, distressed communities index, location of injury, Glasgow Coma scale on arrival, cardiopulmonary resuscitation in Emergency Department (ED), shock on admission, disposition from ED, length of stay, days on mechanical ventilation and discharge status. Descriptive, univariate, and bivariate analysis were completed. Chi square test was used for categorical variables. Statistical significance was P < .05. RESULTS: There were 215 patients who met inclusion criteria. There were 96 patients (78 males) with a mean age of 31.5 years old during BC19. There were 119 patients (101 males) with a mean age 32.7 years old during C19. There was a 10.4% increase in FI to head and neck during COVID-19. Our data showed that alcohol use was associated with FI during C19 (P≤ .0001). FI to base of skull occurred 34.5% more often during C19 (P = .002). Cranial injuries occurred 26% more often during BC19 (P = .03). During BC19, 85.4% of the patients arrived alive to GMH, but only 16% arrived alive during C19 (P ≤ .0001). CONCLUSIONS: There were more FI to head and neck during COVID-10 pandemic than during the previous time period.

Profile Of Head And Neck Burns During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19) affected daily activities since December 2019. Burn injuries to head and neck can result in cosmetic and functional deformities. The purpose of this study was to characterize patients with burns to head and neck during the pandemic. This cross-sectional study reviewed patients in Burn Care Quality Platform Registry. Patients were included if they were age 18 years of age or older, and sustained burns to head and neck. Patients were stratified according to date of injury into: (1) March 13 to September 13, 2019 (i.e., before COVID-19 pandemic, BC19) or (2) March 13 to September 13, 2020. March 13, 2020 was chosen because (1) COVID-19 was announced as a national emergency on that date and (2) it was the last day of in-person schools in state of Georgia. Data collection included patient demographics, admission details, burn details, and hospital related variables were documented. During the study period, 157 patients had burn to head and neck (BC-19; 70, C-19; 71). Our data showed a 375% increase in March following the announcement of the pandemic (BC19; 4, C19;19). Admissions from another facility were statistically more than in C19 group (p=<0.0001). For C19 group, there were 53% more admissions from ED than BC19 (p=0.001). Additionally, in BC19 group patients presented with concomitant inhalation injuries significantly more than C19 group (p=0.04). In conclusion, the total number of burns is the same during BC and C19, however there was a significant spike in number of cases in March 2020.